Ah, Well Again
by ForeverFlamingFire
Summary: When Alec comes near collapse during a hunt and Jace and Isabelle don't know what to do, who is Jace going to run to? Jace/Alec Brotherly. NO SLASH!


**Disclaimer: All characters belong to Cassandra Clare. I just own the plot of this little fic**

**A/N: I've been toying with uploading this for a couple days now. I wrote it really fast on the way back from New York City where I spent Christmas, so it probably isn't my best work. But I've recently been reading a lot of Mortal Instruments fanfics & I got inspired. I also haven't read the books in a while, so if anything seems a little OOC, sorry  
**

AH, WELL AGAIN

Alec Lightwood was following his adoptive brother Jace Wayland and his sister Isabelle down the streets of New York when he felt his head start to pound against his skull. He heard something behind him and whirled. Instantly, he felt Jace at his back. For once, Alec didn't complain when Jace took over, killing the demon. Alec felt a wave of pain crash through his head and leaned against the cool brick wall while Jace finished the job.

"Alec? Are you okay?" The worried note in Jace's voice made Alec aware that he must look terrible.

"I…"

"Alec…"

"I just got dizzy and I…" Alec massaged his forehead, letting his forehead drop into his hand, willing the pain to go away.

Jace dropped his bloody stele into the holder at his waist and wrapped a supporting arm around Alec. "I've got you."

Isabelle into place on Alec's other side. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know. He just got dizzy and I think he has a headache. I think he's going to be okay if we just get him back to the Institute where he can lie down."

"You take care of Alec. I'll run ahead, and get help."

Jace nodded and Isabelle ran off into the night. "I'm going to get you back to the Institute." Normally, Alec would've insisted on being taken to Magnus'. The fact that he didn't worried Jace. "I've got you," Jace whispered. "You're going to be fine."

* * *

Jace Wayland walked down the hallway of the Institute. When he walked past Alec's door, he caught a glimpse of Alec still in bed through the crack. _Good, he decided to obey me for change. _

"Alec?" Jace nudged the door open. "Are you okay?"

Alec's voice was rough as he spoke: "I think I caught something last night." Instantly, Jace was sitting next to Alec on the bed, worry clouding his eyes.

"Do you want me to get someone?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"I don't think so. I think I'll just try and go back to sleep."

"How's your head?"

"Better than last night. I think it was just a fluke."

Jace wiped the damp strands of dark hair out of Alec's eyes. Almost drawing his hand back when he felt the amount of heat radiating from his parabatai's skin. "I'm going to out with Izzy. I'll check on you when I get back." Jace rose. "Try and get some sleep."

Alec nodded as Jace left the room.

* * *

Isabelle joined Jace outside Alec's room. "Is Alec joining us?" she asked, coiling her whip around her wrist.

"No," Jace replied. "He needs the rest."

"Did he say anything about last night?"

"He thought it was a fluke, but it has to be more. He nearly collapsed last night in the alley, and when I checked on him just now, he had a fever."

Isabelle leaned against the wall behind her. "Are you sure it's not just because he's tired?"

Jace looked at Isabelle, trying to keep the "are you crazy?" look out of his eyes and leaned against the wall next to his adoptive sister, running his fingers through his golden hair. "I'm not sure, Izzy. I don't know what I can do to help Alec, but I want to. I have to."

"I understand," said Isabelle. "He's my brother. I want to help him too."

Jace ran a hand through his hair again. "Stay with him, okay, Izzy? I'm going to get Magnus."

Isabelle nodded. Jace grabbed his jacket from the couch, flung it on and ran to the door. He threw open the front door of the Institute, letting the door slam behind him as he ran down the street. As Jace disappeared down the street, Isabelle opened the door to Alec's room softly.

"Izzy?" Alec's voice was rough with sleep and tiredness.

"Yeah?" Izzy sat down next to her brother. Alec's entire body tensed. Isabelle reached out a hand, gently laying it in on Alec's shoulder. "Relax, Alec. I'm here."

Alec's hand fluttered to his forehead, pinching the skin. "Aagggghhhh."

* * *

Jace stood outside Magnus' apartment, hammering on the door. "Magnus! Magnus! Open the damn door! Magnus, I…"

"What's wrong?" Magnus stood in the open door of his apartment.

"It's Alec," Jace said, through his heavy breathing.

"Calm down," said Magnus. "Come in, and tell me what happened."

Jace walked into the apartment and sank down on Magnus' couch and leaned into his hands, lacing his fingers through golden hair. "I can't," said Jace, his voice more normal.

Magnus crouched in front of Jace. "Jace?"

Jace raised his head, meeting Magnus' gold-green eyes. "Yeah."

"Tell me," said Magnus, simply.

Jace ran his fingers through his hair again, messing it up even more than it already had been. "It's Alec," said Jace again. "We were out hunting demons." Jace paused and Magnus visibly tensed. Jace continued quickly. "Alec started to get dizzy. I'm pretty sure he had a headache, but you know how stubborn he is when he gets sick." Magnus nodded, before letting Jace continued. "When I checked on him this morning, he had a fever." Jace paused again. "I'm worried about him, Magnus."

Magnus laid a hand on Jace's knee. "I understand," he said simply. "And I think I may know what's bothering him."

"You do?" Jace's dark gold eyes were full of worry for his friend, but through it, Magnus could sense that he now had some relief.

"Yes." Magnus nodded, keeping his hand on Jace, in silent support for what the Shadowhunter was going through. "I think he has something that is very common to mundanes." The comfort in Jace's eyes disappeared, only to be replaced by panic. "He has a fever and given that he's a Shadowhunter, there's probably some exhaustion in there too. He just needs rest and relaxation for a couple days and he's going to be fine."

"What about the headache and the dizziness?" The panic was still there.

"It was a fluke," Magnus replied.

Jace let out a laugh. Magnus looked at Jace, curiously. "Alec said the same thing," said Jace by way of explanation.

"Then he's learning."

* * *

Isabelle was sitting in a chair in Alec's room, reading a book she'd taken from the library. Alec had fallen asleep again soon after Jace had left, leaving Isabelle with two options: sit in silence, staring out Alec's window or get a book from the library. Isabelle had chosen the latter, choosing one of the few books about shadowhunting that she hadn't read.

Isabelle glanced up when she heard the creak of a door. Alec squirmed on the bed, nestling into the blankets more firmly, then falling asleep again. Jace slid into the room.

"Izzy?" Jace whispered. "I'll tell you everything in the hall."

Izzy nodded and laid her book in a splayed fashion across Alec's desk, which was already littered with papers. Izzy followed Jace out into the hall.

"So?" asked Isabelle.

"Alec's going to be fine." Jace shrugged. "Or so Magnus says. He said Alec had probably just stretched himself too far and then that caused him to get a fever. Magnus said rest and relaxation should do the trick."

"Jace?" The quiet question came from inside the room.

"How are you?" asked Jace sliding into the room as Isabelle escaped.

"Better. I'm still feeling tired."

"That's normal," said Jace, sitting next to him. "I knew you should've kept the hunting to a minimum."

"Jace…I…I knew I was getting sick that morning. I don't know why I didn't tell you."

Jace stroked the sweaty dark strands of hair out of Alec's eyes. "I'm not blaming you, Alec. You had no idea that it would escalate that quickly."

"But I knew…" Alec started trying to draw himself into a sitting position.

"Alec, stop." Jace swiftly cut Alec off and forced him back on his pillows. "I'm not letting you try that tonight."

"Jaaaggggghhhhhhh." Alec's word trailed off in stream as he hung over the edge of the bed, pressing his fingers to his head. Jace gripped him, easing him back on the bed.

"I don't think this normal," Jace said grimly.

"And I've known it's not," Alec whispered breathlessly. "I've known for days."

"And you didn't come to me or Magnus?" Jace was in awe.

"I…"

"I don't want to hear your excuses," said Jace. "I don't want you worrying about a thing. I just want you to focus everything on getting better. On getting past this."

Jace raised his hand to run his fingers through his hair for at least the third time that day. Alec grabbed it before it could lace through the golden hair. "I don't want you getting yourself sick fretting over me," said Alec. "I'm going to need you, my parabatai. Now more than ever."

"I'm here," said Jace. "I'm going to be at your side for as much of this as I can." Jace turned Alec's pale face towards his. "I've got you, Alec. Go back to sleep."

Alec nodded, drifting off.

* * *

Rain pounded down around New York as Jace returned to the Institute. As soon as he stepped into the foyer, Jace shook water off, making dirty rain water spray across the clean floor.

"Jace!" Jace looked up. Isabelle was standing just inside the foyer. "Alec…He…"

Jace met Isabelle's eyes. "What is it?" asked Jace, his voice fierce. He didn't want to have a conversation about Alec with Isabelle right now. He wanted to shower the mud from his skin and hair and curl up under a blanket in Alec's room and read with his tired friend at his side.

"You'd better come see for yourself," said Isabelle.

Isabelle led Jace up the stairs and down the hall to the bedrooms. When they got outside Alec's door, Jace opened it. The scene made him want to rush to Alec's side. Alec was half-sitting up in bed, holding a book in front of his face, reading.

"Alec," Jace breathed.

Alec looked up, but Jace was already at his side, kneeling next to the bed... "Jace."

"I…" Jace started.

Alec pulled Jace towards him. "What did I tell you?" Alec asked. "Don't fret over me so much. I'm fine, well mostly."

Isabelle silently slid out of the room. She could tell when Jace and Alec needed a moment to just be by themselves. They hadn't had one since the morning after Alec had nearly collapsed in the alley. The door clicked softly closed.

"Mostly?" Jace sat up quickly, keeping his gaze on his friend. The rest of the question shone through Jace's eyes.

Alex sighed, pulling Jace back to his chest. "I'm just tired." Another sigh. Jace looked Alec darkly as he continued. "You and Magnus were right. I wasn't doing a good job taking care of myself."

"I know," Jace whispered, sitting up and pulling Alec into a hug. "I knew that you weren't. I should've forced you to sleep more. Forced you back to bed all those times I found you awake at five in the morning."

Alec pulled back, still keeping his hands on Jace. "I don't want you blaming yourself completely for this. You've got to understand that it was my fault too. I was the one staying up too late for the time I had to get up." He ran hand through his damp hair. "I just don't want you taking all the blame for this when you don't have to too."

"That's not what I'm trying to do. I'm trying to make it easily on you." Jace paused. "If you start telling me when you're not well, I'm not going to think you're weak. I'm not going to think anything different of you. All of this, it's entirely normal, Alec. You don't have to stay strong all the time." Jace paused again, forcing Alec to meet his eyes. "None of us are going to think anything different of you, least of me. We all care about you." Jace ran his own fingers through his hair. "You have no idea how much you scared me that night Alec. I was so scared for you. I had no idea what I could do. I didn't know if somehow it was my fault that…"

"Jace!" Alec's voice cut across Jace. "You shouldn't go there. You shouldn't blame yourself. I'm the one who didn't take care of myself."

"But…"

"Go take your shower, Jace. I can tell you were about to take one when you came it."

Jace ruffled Alec's hair. "You know me too well."


End file.
